Reduction of thickened flap using fractional carbon dioxide laser

✍ Scribed by Lori A. Brightman; Jeremy A. Brauer; Robert Anolik; Elliot T. Weiss; Julie Karen; Anne Chapas; Elizabeth Hale; Leonard Bernstein; Roy G. Geronemus

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 101 KB
• Volume: 43
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0196-8092
• DOI: 10.1002/lsm.21125

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background and Objective

The paramedian forehead flap is an excellent choice when repairing a large nasal defect. However, even when carefully thinned, the flap may develop a bulky appearance, an ill‐fitting contour, or trap door deformity. When on the face, these suboptimal results can be quite distressing. Surgical and non‐surgical options for improvement exist. Surgical options include additional debulking and reorientation of the flap. Non‐surgical options include intralesional corticosteroids or 5‐flourouracil, dermabrasion, and ablative and non‐ablative laser resurfacing. Each option has limited benefit as well potential side effects.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Case report.

Results

In this report, we present dramatic improvement of a thickened paramedian forehead flap using the Fraxel Re:pair, a fractional carbon dioxide (CO~2~) laser (Solta Medical, Inc. Hayward, CA).

Conclusion

To our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature demonstrating successful reduction of a bulky flap using a fractional ablative laser. Lasers Surg. Med. 43:873‐874, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.